Way of the Rose
by Berserker Nightwitch
Summary: Willow's been hiding her family from the Scoobies. How will everyone react to the new girls? Especially Spike and Riley... Completed
1. Many Meetings

Title: Way of the Rose

Author: Berserker Nightwitch

Chapter Title: Many Meetings

§ § §

"It's not working!"

"Yeah... I can see that..."

"Why isn't it working?"

"Maybe 'cause you two can't agree on the color of that phone, much less link minds and share the same thought?"

Three girls were lounging around Willow Rosenberg's college dorm room. Willow and her cousin, Isabella Delcomyne, who always went by her middle name, Raven, were sitting on the floor in the middle of the room facing each other. Raven's god sister, Gypsi Moates, was sprawled across Willow's bed, reading a magazine half-heartedly.

Raven and Willow sat cross-legged on the floor, facing each other. Between them was a rose. A week or so earlier, Willow and her girlfriend had tried to perform a spell that would float a rose, and then remove each petal. The spell backfired, so Willow enlisted the help of her 'secret family'. She and Raven couldn't manage to lift the rose off the floor even an inch.

"That can't be it!"

"Hey Willow?" Gypsi called, looking up from her magazine.

"What?"

"Why do you think that having Raven help you will make it clearer? Wouldn't it make more sense to try again with Tara?"

"She's busy right now. Besides, this way I can spend time with you guys again."

"You know another way?" Raven broke in, grinning broadly. Gypsi rolled her eyes, and Willow just looked up at her. "Let the Scooby crew know we exist! I mean, I know that Harris knows about me, but that's just 'cause of that one baby picture with the two of us in it."

"I know I should tell, but I don't know how the group would react to introducing more people."

"Please, Wil. It's not like we can't be useful! Izzy here can help you and Tara with the magic, witchy stuff, and I know how to fight."

"But you don't like to."

"I'm sure I could make some exceptions." Willow laughed at her cousins' antics.

Raven was a mysterious beauty, with her pale complexion and unique style. She was medium height at 5'6" with pale skin, silver-white hair that reached her hips with a streak covering her left eye that was deep black. Her wide, expressive eyes were a pale green that completed the ghostly look. She could look at someone with those eyes and they would give in to her every whim. Raven was Willow's cousin by their mothers.

Gypsi Anne Moates was as opposite as she could be from Raven. Where the first girl's skin was milky white, Gypsi's was a golden tan that came from both natural genes and living in the outdoors. Her 5'4" frame was petite and less fragile than she looked. At age nineteen, her amber eyes already held a wisdom that many people twice her age could never hope for. Her wavy hair was a midnight black so dark that, when light hit it, it looked blue. She wore her hair in a high ponytail that reached her mid-back and curled at the tips. She was not related to the cousins by blood, but she lived with Raven and her family. Raven's parents were named Gypsi's godparents at the younger girl's birth.

Both girls had moved to Sunnydale twelve years earlier. They had grown up together, and their parents were best friends, so when one decided to move, the other did as well. When Raven was eight, she discovered that she was a witch. Her parents helped her as best they could, but the girl eventually began to act up. When Gypsi moved in with them, though, the two kept each other restrained. Raven acted up constantly, and Gypsi had withdrawn into herself. Neither girl had any great love for the monsters inhabiting their town, though, and they helped Willow when needed.

"I just... I don't know... Everyone who gets involved with the Scooby Gang ends up... changing. Oz was a werewolf. Xander used to be so... I guess innocent would be the wrong word...."

"Naïve?"

"That works. I was shy and never really left the school grounds. Now Xander has sworn off love and his ex-girlfriend, an ex-vengeance demon, is dating Giles. I'm a witch and dating another one. Buffy and Cordelia were both ditzes, and now they're both helping to save the world! I think Giles has always been a bit funky. Angel lost his soul, regained it, and then left to be a champion in L.A, and then he came back here when his soul was made permanent and he's dating Buffy again. Riley used to be Mr. Perfect Soldier boy, and now he's running from the government because of us. I don't want the two of you changing."

"Wil, I think we're already a little off. We live in the Hellmouth, and we fight the things that go bump in the night. Just because we're with the Scoobies won't change that. We've got our own issues. Think about it. Izzy here used to be a nice, normal, quiet girl. Now she goes to parties where leather is the totally 'in' thing!"

"Also known as 'The Bronze'! Besides, you're not exactly normal anymore, either, Gyp."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just saying, it wouldn't hurt anything if we met and joined up with the Scoobies. We could be of more help, and you wouldn't have to lie about where you get all of your information," Gypsi said to Willow.

"I know... And I hate doing that, and about lying about the two of you... But I don't want you guys to get hurt."

"We won't. Don't worry about it so much. Besides, if things get too much, Raven can always witch us out of their memories!"

"Hey Willow! Are you in there? Could you open the door please?" Buffy called from the other side of the dorm door. Willow's eyes widened comically as she remembered the Scooby meeting scheduled for that afternoon. In her and Buffy's dorm room.

"S-Sure Buffy.... Just a minute...."

"Well, this certainly makes things more interesting!" Raven laughed.

"Yeah. I doubt the three of us are going to be able to be perfectly still and quiet in a closet for over two hours!"

"Three of you?"

"Rat would kinda give it away."

Willow looked at the white ball of fluff that was sleeping on Buffy's bed. Rat was Raven's pure white cat. His eyes were a luminescent green, and he was always making noise when he was awake.

"Then I guess you guys are going to meet the Scoobies..." Willow walked over to the door and pulled it open, letting in Buffy (who was carrying a large trunk of... something), Angel, who was also carrying something large, Riley, and Xander. The latter two were in the middle of some kind of argument.

"I'm telling you, it's better that way!"

"Says who?"

"Me!"

"And where did you hear that Black-Eyed Peas taste good when they're mixed with Strawberry jelly?"

"Um... I don't think you really want to know that, Riley."

"Why not?"

"Um... guys? There are other people here."

"Huh? Oh! Uh... Who are you?"

"Uh... Buffy, Angel, Riley, Xander, this is my cousin Raven Delcomyne and her god sister Gypsi Moates. They kinda help me with some of the spells I do."

"What do you mean, Willow?" Riley asked.

"Um, Raven's a witch, like me, and she helps me practice some of the spells I do."

"What are you?" Buffy asked Gypsi, who had moved to stand in a corner of the room. Her amber eyes were open wide with nerves and fear. She hated being forced into large groups of people. She may have wanted to meet the gang, but one at a time would have suited her better. Raven saw what was happening and growled low in her throat.

The pale girl pushed between her sister and the Slayer. "She's a human girl, and my sister. Is there a problem with that?"

"She's not just a human, and I thought Willow said you two are god sisters!"

"She's human enough, and she's lived with me for the past twelve years. That's long enough to call her a real sister."

"Would all of you please stop fighting!" Willow screamed. Everyone in the room turned to look at her in shock. "Buffy, you're my best friend, but I can't allow you to hurt or scare my cousins. They've both had it rough in their lives, and they don't need anything added to that. Raven, you know that Buffy is the Slayer, and as such she can sense what else Gypsi is. Besides, if it comes to it, Gypsi can defend herself. Gypsi, they aren't going to attack you. Try to be a little sociable? You are the ones who wanted to actually meet them."

"What's this? A fight between the Scoobies?" a mocking, British voice called out from around the corner. Spike walked into the room, followed by Tara, Giles, and Anya. Over the past few months, Spike had been growing his hair out, and by that point it was just brushing against his shoulders. He continued to dye it, and he left the gel out, so it curled. Anya was dating Giles, and her hair had grown to her mid-back. Giles and Tara hadn't changed much since the group had been formed.

"No Spike, this is Willow hiding the fact that she's related to another witch and a demon."

"They both look pretty normal to me," Giles spoke up.

"But we're not, are we? The Slayer can allow demons when they're neutered or they sleep with her, but if all that's stopping them from going on a rampage is a soul, the desire to help people, and the memory of her family, then she needs to be killed, right?" Raven demanded of the petite blonde standing in front of her. Her hair began to take on a silvery tinge, and her eyes became completely green. There was no white or pupil in her eyes. Lightning cracked around her, and her hair began to stand on end.

"Go ahead! Kill us! End the Moates line. Kill the last of her family. Kill me. But when you do, think of how _your_ mother would feel if someone told her that a girl who is supposed to protect the good side killed her baby girl!"

"That's enough, Izzy." The soft voice had a calming effect on the whole room. Raven's hair returned to it's normal color and lay flat against her head again. Her eyes returned to their normal look as well.

"What? That's it? All of that witch power, and one little girl says stop and you have to obey? What's wron- " The bleached vampire's tirade was cut off as his vocal cords were rendered unusable.

"Yes, though I do think I can make an exception when it concerns a loudmouth like you."

"You did that?" Buffy asked, sounding almost as though she was in awe.

"Yes... why?"

"I've never seen someone shut him up that quickly. Can you mess up his coat, too?"

"I take it you're willing to accept us now?"

"Anyone who will do that to Spike and not attack us is fine by me."

Meanwhile, Gypsi was watching Spike with interest. His brash attitude amused her, and his body certainly wasn't hard to look at. Her eyes roamed over his body appreciatively until she felt a shock course through her. She drew in a sharp breath and put a hand to her head. Raven was immediately at her side.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah... It was only a little one this time."

"What was it?"

"It was a man with bleached blond hair, a rash attitude, and a quick, harsh tongue." She glared over at Spike. "He also had sharp teeth and a wrinkled forehead."

"Yeah... Didn't Willow tell you that Spike and Angel are vampires?"

"No. Gypsi fell asleep before we had that conversation."

"Why?"

"Um...."

"I don't do vampires well."

"Why not?"

"Because a vampire made me an orphan."

"Oh... I'm so sorry."

"It was twelve years ago. The same I started getting headaches."

"What happened?" Riley asked sympathetically. He felt bad for the two girls. If what Willow said was true, then neither of them had had great childhoods.

"I'd really rather not talk about it... if that's okay?"

"Sure. I won't make you talk about something if it bothers you."

Spike rolled his eyes at the others in the room. Riley was too Boy Scout for his own good, and it was obvious that, though she was pleased she didn't have to talk about it, the dark-haired girl was not impressed with his attitude. The vampire would have spoken about it, but that pale girl hadn't lifted the no-speaking spell from him yet.

The bleached menace looked the girls over again now that he had gotten over seeing them for the first time. Now that he thought about it, their scents were always clinging to the redheaded witch. The white witch was slightly taller than the other girl, and she seemed more suited to the Army lapdog than the Slayer had been. She was mostly loud and active, and Spike wondered if she and Willow really were cousins, or if one had been adopted.

The darker girl he could get used to seeing regularly. She was fairly quiet, but she could talk when she wanted to. He also liked the fact that she had been checking him out earlier. Of course, then she had to go and have an aversion to vampires. Just his luck. That didn't mean he wanted her though! Because he didn't. He was in no way attracted to the dark girl. She was just... different. There was something special about her. Aside from the fact that a vampire had murdered her father, yet she didn't make a habit of killing vampires. If she did, he and Angel would be dead... or deader. She just happened to be pretty. And kind. And caring. And easy to look at. And she was pulsing with power. Okay, so maybe there was a little attraction... but not too much!

Unknowingly, Riley was echoing the vampire's thoughts, only his were directed at the pale beauty in front of him.

"So... you're a witch, huh?" Riley asked the pale girl. Raven looked at him, an eyebrow raised in question.

"What of it?"

"Are you as powerful as Willow or Tara?"

"No," Willow answered, "she's stronger than both of us combined."

"Wow... the Initiative could really use your- Uhnnn..." Riley dropped to the ground in the middle of his sentence, clutching his stomach. After he ran out of the room, Spike smirked up at the pale witch.

Gypsi was the one to answer the group's unspoken question. "Really bad stomach cramps followed by an attack of mutant diarrhea." The others cringed, and even Spike and Angel made faces of disgust. "Hey, we've heard the stories of what happened when Buffy tried to join the Initiative. Why would a witch want to?"

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A/N: Okay, what did you think? I wrote this chapter before I wrote the outline, so if it's kinda sketchy, that's why. Please review and tell me what you think. I promise it will get better as I go.


	2. Talking RatCat

Chapter Title: Talking RatCat

Thank you **sheilamarie** I hope this holds your interest beyond that first chapter. I'm having fun writing it, and I really hope you're enjoying reading it!

§ § §

"So... you like him, don't you?"

"No. And if you don't stop saying that, you'll find yourself in the belly of some dog."

"Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not eat cats. They are simply disturbed and annoyed by them."

"Then I'll add magic to you and make you look edible."

"But then who would you talk to?"

"Gypsi."

"Right. And when she started to bore you?"

"Hey Gypsi! Rat's insulting you!"

"Tell him to shut it before I string him from the roof."

"I've heard that threat before. Doesn't faze me."

"By his bad-talking tongue."

"That could be painful." Glare at the white witch. "Traitor."

"Hey, I'm the master here, not you," Raven laughed, picking up the pure white cat.

"So what was he saying?" Gypsi asked as she walked into the room, toweling her back-length hair dry. She dangled a string in front of the cat's eyes, making him paw at the end of it.

"I'm gonna get it this time. The hunter stalks his prey." Rat stalked toward the string, making a circle around it. "He prowls around it, keeping from alerting it to his presence. Then, when he's close enough..." Rat pounced on the string, quickly clawing it and biting the tip. "The prey is his! And- Wait... this isn't prey..." The cat spit the string back out before standing and haughtily walking away. The girls both laughed.

§ § §

Riley stared out the window, his thoughts wandering back to the day before. Willow's pale cousin had captured his interest completely. She seemed nice, but also like she knew what she wanted. She was very protective of the people she loved – something Riley felt was very important, and she was able to stop her temper before it got too far away from her. In the military man's eyes, she was perfect.

He thought of asking the darker girl, Gypsi, to help him get on better terms with her sister, but almost immediately discarded it. His reaction to Buffy's exclamation that she was less – or more – than human would not entice her to trust him. In fact, she would most likely just scream and run away. Or act like Buffy and punch his lights out. Riley then considered asking Willow to help him out, but then he remembered her 'disclaimer' about his asking Buffy out. He could only imagine what would happen if it was her cousin he was talking about.

"Okay, so it's either ask her, or ask Gypsi for help with her."

"Talking to yourself now, mate?"

"Gah! Don't sneak up on me!"

"I wasn't sneaking! I have my boots on and I was stomping! So, ask who what?"

"None of your business."

"Then I have to guess. Ask that white witch on a date?"

"I didn't know vampires could read minds..."

"There's a lot you don't know about demons, but we can't read minds. I just know how to read your face after getting stuck patrolling with you for the past few months. That, and all anyone's been thinking about lately is Willow's cousin and a half."

"Even you?"

"I guess..."

"Do you like Gypsi or something?"

"That's the darker one, right?"

"Yeah."

"Not really... Just not used to people who treat me like that."

"Like what? Ignoring you?"

"No. I get that all the time from you lot. She was checking me out, then she gets this headache and I can _feel_ her hatred towards me radiating off her. I didn't even do anything to her. She's probably one of the few people in this town that I _don't_ have some evil history with."

"Are you sure you don't have a soul? You suddenly seem to really care."

"Nah... Like I said before, mate, not used to a female going from lust to hate so easy and quick."

"But you're used to it from males?"

"You have a sick mind, Finn."

"So I've been told. It comes from having a slash-minded younger sister. She used to insist that Forest and I had some secret relationship. That's why I never invited him over to my house."

"Why was she so interested in slash?"

"I don't know. She read a lot of anime fanfiction things... The was a lot of... yaoi..."

"Japanese for male-male action."

"Yeah... how do you know that?"

"Angelus took us to Japan once. We stayed there for about three months. I picked up some of the words, and made a point of learning others."

"Which category does yaoi fall under?"

"A bit of both. I heard it at this bar, and then I wanted to know what it meant. When I learned it, I accused Angelus of being into it. He had a good time beating me that night."

"Why?"

"Turns out that that was one of the few words _he_ had picked up."

"Spike?"

"What?"

"Are we having a civil conversation?"

"Yep. I'm gonna go now. Don't want anyone to catch us."

"Can't lose your bad reputation, right?"

"Exactly."

§ § §

A/N: Yes, that's all for now. It will take me awhile to really get going on this, and until then, expect disjointed, short chapters. Sorry, but I still don't have a real outline of this... NEways... please review!!


	3. Accomplice to Love

Gypsi Moates sat on the desk, her legs curled up against her chest and her head resting on her knees. Riley Finn, resident soldier paced in front of her, occasionally muttering something. Gypsi's eyes slowly began to drift closed as the murmuring of his voice lulled her to sleep. Her eyes slipped shut when she fell fully asleep and, missing the consciousness required to keep herself upright, she fell off the desk, landing with a painful thud of the ground, her feet still semi on the desk. Riley rushed over to her and helped her up, checking the dark-haired girl for injuries. When he finally felt confident that she was in no way injured, he helped her back onto her perch on the edge of the desk.

"So have you decided anything yet?" The girl's soft voice broke through the silence. Riley jumped and looked into her amber colored eyes before blushing and looking down at his hands.

"I really think I like her. I mean, she seems so smart and funny. And she's definitely beautiful… And if she can keep from being offended by Spike for an entire day, she's definitely made of some pretty strong stuff."

"Teflon, Babe."

"Huh?"

"Roswell. One of the characters, Maria Deluca, calls herself Teflon since she can bounce back from anything. She says that nothing can hurt her. That's kind of the way Raven is to me. No matter what's happened in her life, she always seems to bounce back."

"What's happened to her in the past?"

"A lot of stuff. Her parents weren't so thrilled when she became a witch, but they accepted it since that's what kept her younger brother alive."

"What do you mean?"

"Kirwin was stillborn. The doctors pronounced him dead. It was terrible. Then Izzy just… wished him alive… and he was. She brought him back from the dead. Then when her parents found out she was the cause of it, they didn't take it so well. I mean, at first they were just happy that she had managed to bring the baby to life, but after they thought about it more, they realized they didn't want to deal with an eight-year-old witch. An adult one was okay, because her mom was already nineteen when she discovered her powers, but not a child, and especially not when there was a new baby to take care of."

"Were they mean to her?"

"More like they just didn't know what to do with her. They just let her run wild. She could do whatever she wanted so long as nobody died and she didn't disturb the baby."

"Wow… That's… She turned out so well in spite of all that… And I think that's the most I have ever heard you say!"

"Raven's my best friend in the world; I can talk all day about her. And don't say 'in spite of'. It's because of her reckless childhood that she turned out like this. I mean, Kirwin turned into a total brat!"

"Yeah… okay… but how am I going to talk to her _now_?"

"Simple. You walk up to her and say, 'Hi! I think I like you, and Gypsi isn't upset by it!'."

"I can't do that!"

"Sure you can!"

"No… She's too… regal for that. It just… I think she's… Well… She's perfect."

"That is so sweet!"

… … …

"Trust me! It'll make your whole life-or in your case _unlife_-better!"

"But she hates me!"

"That doesn't mean she'll never love you!"

"Actually… it normally does…"

"But it doesn't have to in this case."

Spike groaned and shook his head. He should have known that talking to the white witch was a bad idea. She seemed to think that he would be perfect for Gypsi. "I don't even know why she hates me! All I did was look at her!"

"It's because you're a vampire."

"So? That never seems to bother any of the other chits in this group!"

"Gypsi was orphaned by vampires. Her mother and two older brothers were killed by a pack of vampires, and then, on Christmas Eve, she saw her father get murdered and drained by a vampire. She was only seven. She didn't speak again for two years, and even then she only spoke to me. She was thirteen before she was willing to talk to anyone else about anything, even to ask someone to pass a food item on the table during a meal."

"Then why hasn't she killed me already?" Spike asked, sinking to the ground and looking up at Raven with down-cast blue eyes. The pale girl smiled sadly at him.

"She hates any form of death, unless the creature was pure evil. She can tell when someone is evil, too."

"Like I said, why am I not the center piece on some ashtray?"

"Apparently, you're not evil enough to die."

"So… you think I have a chance?"

"I didn't say that. But I didn't say you had _no_ chance, either."

"You enjoy being mysterious, don't you?"

"Immensely. Just be gentle with her. Give her time and space when she needs it, but don't let yourself be forgotten by her."

"And how do I tell the difference?"

"I guess I'll help… but if you hurt her…"

"I know; I'll be beaten to death with a shovel."

"Close, but no cigar. You'll be beaten to dust with a small crucifix."

"Harsh…"

"Well you can't exactly die," Raven pointed out. Spike conceded her point with a shrug.

"Now I need to fulfill a promise. What do you think of Riley?"

"Did he ask you to do this?"

"No… Willow told me that Gypsi did."

"Gypsi?"

"Yeah… Red also wanted me to tell you that Gypsi 'seems willing to accept Riley in your life'."

"I guess he's not so bad… For a soldier, follow-the-rules type."

… … …

"Hey Gypsi?"

"Nani?" 1 Raven smiled at her sister. Leave it to Gypsi to bring in more languages. Two could play at that game…

"T'amour Spike?" 2

"Nien!" 3

"Why not?"

"He's a vampire. Thy can't love."

"Angel loves Buffy…"

"Angel has a soul."

"So does Spike, and you know it."

"I just… I can't trust him."

"Because of what Willow's told us?"

"No. I don't trust him because he just… I don't know… I just get a bad vibe from him…"

… … … … …

A/N: Please review and let me know what you thought!

1 – Japanese for 'What?'

2 – Crapified French for 'You like Spike?'. I haven't taken French in two years and almost failed the two years I _did_ take it. The wording just confuses me, and I don't have access to a translator at the moment….

3 – German for 'No.'

ThankYous:

sheilamarie – Thanks a bunch! I'm glad, and I hope this chapter kept it. There are at least five more, so please stick around!!


	4. The Cure

"Spike, just go!" The blond vampire shrugged and walked out the door, leaving an irate slayer and two of her slayerettes behind him. They had been talking about the weird vibe Buffy still got from Gypsi when Spike got bored and began acting up. The vampire walked down the street, hands in pockets and head down. He turned a corner to cut through an alley and saw a group of about seven teens.

"Crap…" Spike muttered under his breath as the humans walked up to him menacingly. With that chip in his head he was helpless against these idiots. The truth of that was literally pounded into him within the next few seconds. Even vampire speed won't save a person when he's cornered.

… … …

"C'mon Gypsi! Get out here!"

"Not a chance!"

"It's not that bad!"

"Says you! I'm the one who has to wear it!"

"You know that if it was my color I'd wear it!"

"Yeah right!"

"Is she always this stubborn?"

"Nope. This is a special occasion."

"What's so special about it?" Xander asked, leaning against a doorpost.

"She just learned that Spike might like her."

"So she has to be picky about her outfit?"

"Yep. If she dresses to impress, he'll get ideas. If she dresses grunge, she'll stick out in the crowd."

"It's just the Bronze."

"Not the point." The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Raven raised her eyebrow and went to the door to investigate. She pulled it open and let her mouth drop open in shock. "Spike?" she asked, not sure that the person in front of her was really the vampire.

"Could you… invite me… in, luv?"

"Right! Come in, Spike." The vampire collapsed and fell through the doorway. Xander, who had followed the pale girl out when he heard the vampire's name, caught the bleached male and carried him over to the couch.

"What happened?"

"Group of about… seven teens…. bloody chip…"

"What's going on?" Gypsi asked as she walked into the room. She had finally decided on her regular clothes: tight T-shirt and baggy jeans. She gasped when she saw the bruised and beaten vampire, rushing out of the room and returning with a damp cloth.

The dark girl knelt next to the sofa, gently cleaning the blood off of Spike. His eyes stayed on her the entire time, confusion evident in the bright blue orbs. "We need to take care of this…now. Izzy? You and Willow…"

"I could ask… And if Tara helps too it would be easier."

"Would someone mind explaining?" Xander asked. Spike showed his agreement by a soft grunt.

"Not right now. I have a phone call to make, and you need to stay in here with Gypsi and Spike."

… … …

The vampire sat in the center of the circle, biting his lip nervously. Around him stood three witches. Willow, Tara, and Raven held hands around him and began to chant. Spike glanced nervously at the Scoobies gathered in the room, and the dark girl sitting in a corner, smiling knowingly.

"All done," Willow announced.

"What? That's it? All of that prep work and three words later it's finished?" Buffy ranted, smiling broadly to take the sting out of her words.

"No offense, Red, but shouldn't I have felt something?"

"Do you even know what we just did?"

"Nope."

"Hit me," Tara ordered. Spike's eyes widened in shock and he began shaking his head and backing away from the witches.

"And have everyone else in this room attack me? I don't think so. I may be rash, but I'm not stupid… all the time."

"Then pinch me," a soft voice spoke up. Spike turned and blue met amber. Gypsi was standing up and moving closer to him. "It won't really hurt me, and it will show you what was done."

"Why not just tell me?"

"You wouldn't believe me." Spike sighed deeply and walked forward. He held his hand out to the girl's arm and pinched, wincing as he waited for the migraine. His eyes widened once again when it didn't come.

"You got rid of the chip?"

"Uh-huh."

"Why? I mean… what's to stop me from hurting someone?"

"You need to be able to defend yourself, and the soul will stop you," Angel answered for everyone.

"Saying thanks right about now would be a good," Xander whispered theatrically, causing the entire group to laugh.

A/N: Sorry this took so long! I was working on my Senior Exit Portfolio, and then waiting to get the internet in my room... Woohoo! Anyways, here's the thank you(s):

sheilamarie - Thank you somuch for the review! You are the only person who reviewed chapter three! I hope you liked this chater!


	5. The Truth Comes Out

_Three demons held a young girl down, while a fourth slit her throat, making her screams garbled and liquid-like. Around the quintet were at least twenty other demons, all of them with glowing orange eyes and luminescent orange skin covered by blood-red cloaks. The twenty surrounding demons were chanting and waving their arms, which were twice as long as they should be, with nails at least a centimeter in diameter at the base and tapering to a sharp point nearly three inches farther down._

_As the girl dies, a shimmering circle forms underneath her, slowly spreading to cover the entire room. When it stops growing, it pulses brighter and brighter, until it is too bright for any eye to see. It stays that bright for a few seconds before fading slightly, making the hundreds of demons pouring out of it visible._

"Gypsi? Gypsi, what's wrong?" Riley asked in worry. He stared at the girl in front of him, watching as she swayed slightly and her eyes remained glazed over. The two had been walking around town all day, and were standing on a large bridge overlooking the highway. Riley pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and cursed when he found that he didn't have reception. He wandered around the area for a second looking for a good spot, all the while shooting worried glances at the dark-haired girl. "Finally!" He dialed the number quickly, and looked up in thanks when he finally heard the phone ringing on the other end.

Just as the phone was picked up, Gypsi suddenly pitched forward. Riley ran back to her and caught her just before she could fall over the edge. He closed his phone and picked the girl up, hurriedly carrying her back to Giles' house.

…

"What happened?"

"Is she alright?"

"What did you do to her?"

"I don't know, okay! We were just talking, and then she spaced out. I was trying to call Raven and ask what was going on, but then she just started to fall. I barely caught her before she became road kill!"

Raven carried a bunch of washcloths back to the living room, where Riley was standing over the dark girl. The white witch paused for a moment when she saw Riley standing over her 'sister', tending to the girl gently and tenderly. 'Maybe he's not so bad…' she thought to herself.

She walked the rest of the way in and laid a damp washcloth on Gypsi's forehead. "That must have been a strong one…" she murmured.

"What was that?"

"I said this must have been a strong one. She normally regains consciousness in a few seconds."

"So you know what's wrong with her?"

"Of course. She had a vision."

"What?"

"She's a seer."

…

A/N: Yes, I'm ending it there. It's eleven PM, I've been awake since eight, I get cranky when I don't get enough sleep, and I've still got three more chapters to write for my other stories. Don't worry; the next chapter should be longer. Please review and let me know what you think?

Thanks -  
**cowgirlnm-1:** Um... I might have forgotten to write that part... if I did, just assume that he has a soul... And for at least one of those, you might just get your wish! Thanks for the review!  
**sheilamarie:** And now another one! I'm glad you like this fic so much!


	6. One Date

"Where is she?"

"She's in her room, recovering."

"But she's okay?"

"Yes. Now get inside before you turn into powder."

The bleached vampire walked into the living room, still clutching a blanket firmly in both hands. He had just heard about Gypsi's fainting, and was too worried to wait until nightfall to check on her.

"You couldn't have waited three more hours?"

"No! I mean, she might have been hurt… And that would have been bad."

"Well, as you can see, I'm fine." Spike looked up and stared. Gypsi was walking slowly down the stairs, one hand gripping the rail tightly, while the other was pressed against a wall for support. Her long hair was pulled back in a low braid, and she had on a tank top and loose pajama pants. Spike couldn't think of a time she had ever been more beautiful.

"Are you still in there?" Raven joked, poking Spike in the ribs.

"Yeah… I have a question for both of you, though. Since I'm here an' all."

"Ask away," Raven told him as she helped a still-dizzy Gypsi onto the couch.

"Why do you guys say that I have a soul? I lost it when I was turned, and…"

"Actually, you didn't."

"What?"

Gypsi smiled at him, feeling warm fuzzies about him risking everything to check on her. "You never actually lost your soul. Most vampires do, but thanks to Drusilla's mental state when she turned you, you managed to keep your soul. It was just hidden by everything you did. You wanted so badly to prove that you were the Big Bad that you hid your soul, even from yourself. It was obvious when you began helping the Scoobies that you still had it."

"But I was also chipped, and that was my only way of getting blood."

"You're resourceful. You would have found other ways if you really wanted to," Raven cut in. "I'm guessing that something in you was just sick of the Big Bad image and wanted you to be yourself again." Spike nodded slowly as he realized the truth in their words.

"Then I have just one more question… For Gypsi."

"And what would that be?"

"Sometime after tonight, would you go out with me?"

"Like a date?"

"Yeah…"

"Why not tonight?" Raven asked slyly.

"I'm helping Peaches, the Slayer, and the rest of the official Scoobies fight off those demons Gypsi saw in her vision."

"Fine. ONE date. That's all."

"That's all I ask," Spike told her.

"For now," he and Raven said simultaneously after a pause.

"What's going on here?" a voice that only Raven could hear asked. She shook her head slowly. "Should I scratch his eyes out?"

"Raven, what's your cat saying now?"

"Her cat? _Her_ cat? Excuse me, but she's _my_ human."

"He _was_ threatening to scratch Spike's eyes out; now he's in a huff about terminology."

"How so?"

"According to him, I'm _his_ human."

"Silly fluffball," Gypsi giggled, pulling the cat into her lap.

"He was talking?"

"I guess you could call him Raven's familiar. And don't even start on the wording there, Rat. She took you home from the pound when you were a kitten. That gives her owner rights."

oxoxoxoxoxo

A/N: Well, that's it for now. It seems that I can't make myself write long chapters for this story. And, back by (not quite) popular demand: Rat the talking Cat! I missed him… Well, please review and tell me what you think of the story.

Thank you cowgirlnm-1: I tried to explain ita little more with the soul. You're right; I hadn't explained it. Sorry. And you've got yourself a deal. Just don't expect all updates to be this quick. My brain's getting scrambled!


	7. Another Date in Sunnydale

A/N: Before I start, I would just like to apologize to everyone who has been waiting for this story. There's been a lot of drama and stuff happening in my life lately. One of my friends stole this guy who one of _her_ best friends had been crushing on for years. Then my group of friends just split down the middle. Then there was prom and graduation… It's been a hectic few weeks. Also, this should be the last chapter, so I'll try to make it longer to make up for the delay.

**_Way of the Rose Way of the Rose Way of the Rose_**

"So, let me get this straight… You live with Raven and her family, and have since you were about seven… You watched your family die less than an hour before they did thanks to your visions, and you moved in with your godparents, who were ignoring their own daughter because she brought her little brother back to life magically?"

"Yep… Though you're forgetting the fact that I didn't speak for a few years and Izzy was about as wild as you can get. Oh, and my visions sometimes border on clairvoyance."

"Wow… So when did Rat come into the picture?"

"About three years ago. We all went to the pound because Izzy's parents wanted to get her a pet. They were thinking a dog, but she took one look at Rat, and she was hooked. It wasn't until about a month later that he started talking to her."

"And he hasn't shut up yet!" Raven joked from across the table. The girls had both agreed to a date with their respective guys, and both guys had decided on the same restaurant, the same night. To make things more comfortable on all of them, Raven and Riley had agreed to double-date with Spike and Gypsi. Riley and Spike had already shared their stories, and were listening intently to the girls.

"I have just one more question," Riley announced. Raven looked up at him expectantly. "What made you finally agree to go out with me?"

"I know I can trust you now, and I figured if Gypsi could accept a date with a vampire, I could accept a date with a man in uniform."

"And what made you agree to go out with me?" Spike mumbled into Gypsi's hair as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"You cared enough to risk frying yourself. There aren't a lot of people in the world who would do that for me. It just… I don't know… It touched me."

"I don't just care for you," Spike insisted softly. "I think I've fallen in love with you." The young seer's eyes opened wide as she stared at him, seeming to look into his soul for his sincerity. Before she had a chance to respond, a couple of demons burst into the restaurant. "Bugger!" Spike snarled. "Can't even have one bloody date!" The group jumped up and settled into fighting stances. Spike moved slightly in front of Gypsi, trying to protect her from the need to fight. Raven and Riley stood side-by-side, Riley looking resigned, and Raven looking forward to the prospects of a good fight.

Spike and Riley jumped into the fight first, while Raven began chanting a spell and Gypsi called out warnings as she got brief flashes of a vision. After nearly ten minutes of fighting, Raven finally let loose her spell. It completely demolished all of the attacking demons.

"It took you long enough," Spike teased her as the group left the building.

"It was either take my time and focus it on those particular demons, or releasing it immediately and destroying you as well."

"Then I thank you for waiting," Gypsi interrupted, smiling from under Spike's arm.

"So you fought all of those demons by yourselves?"

"Raven's spell and Gypsi's visions helped us out the entire time. We were only fighting for about ten minutes, fifteen tops."

"So does this mean the group has two new couples?" Buffy asked from her place on Angel's lap.

"Yes, it does. And now, Riley is going to come dance with me," Raven announced, standing and dragging her new boyfriend onto the dance floor of the Bronze. Gypsi looked at Spike hopefully, and he nodded, leading her after the other couple. Tara and Willow exchanged a look before they, too, headed for the dance floor.

"It looks like another day in Sunnydale."

_**Way of the Rose Way of the Rose Way of the Rose**_

A/N: Alright, well I tried. I've been slowly losing interest in writing Buffy stories. Hopefully I'll keep the interest long enough to finish off _I'll Always Remember_… But please review and let me know what you thought of the story and this chapter. Maybe someday I'll even write a sequel if enough people liked this one. BTW, I can't get any other way of spacing in, so this is my new way of writing in seperations.

Thankyous:

**cowgirl-nm1** - Thanks a bunch, and if memory serves correctly, you're the reason I added the explanantion in the first place... And a short review with substance is better than a long review without, right? That works for chapters too, right? _smiles_

**sheilamarie** - Yes, but sadly, this is it. No more... Sorry. Hope you enjoyed it.


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